


The Flower Arrangement

by Angelofchaos98



Category: Tumblr Flower Shop AU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Gay, Healing, How to say fuck you in flower, I loved this idea so please bear with me, M/M, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, care, past abusive relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 10:06:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11826492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelofchaos98/pseuds/Angelofchaos98
Summary: Quinn has been through a lot. He is a victim of child abuse and has constantly questioned his self worth. He keeps to himself for the most part and spends most of his time in his apartment surrounded by flowers. He works at the flower shop Azula Rose as a bouquet designer and cashier for the local shop.Max has a problem. The person he is in a relationship with is controlling and abusive. He needs out and he has a plan to do so.That plan involves the local flower shop.When these two strangers collide for the first time, sparks instantly fly. But when they meet later and start to develop feelings for one another, it may be that a flower of love can truly bloom in the darkness.





	1. Stupid Alarm Clock

**Author's Note:**

> This story is inspired by a tumblr post (haha, I know) that stated (Person A owns a flower shop and one day, Person B storms in, slaps $20 on the counter and says "how do I passive-aggressively say 'fuck you' in flower?")
> 
> This is what came of it. 
> 
> Be warned that in this story there are mentions and may be direct flashbacks to past abusive situations so if those make you uncomfortable, I suggest either skipping over it or just leaving it alone. I will put a note at the beginning of a chapter if that is the case.
> 
> Onwards to the gay!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chance meeting between two strangers.

He was late. 

After hitting the snooze button three or so times, it was like the alarm had just decided to say “heh, screw you then” and stopped beeping. It was only after he had dozed off about an hour more that he was jolted awake by a buzzing sound. Lola, his boss, was calling. 

“Hey Quinn! Where are you, mi amigo?"

Hence, why he was now scrambling down the street in a panic with his shoulder bag bouncing violently along for the ride. 

Quinn’s blonde hair was a tad on the messy side as he hadn’t had much time to comb through it and his clothes were also in disarray. He was panting from the exertion and his skin was already covered in a bit of sweat. He didn’t run often, to say the least. He looked down at his wrist watch briefly to check the time. 

Yup, still late. 

Glancing back up, he saw a man turning the corner directly in his pathway. He slammed on the brakes, but to no avail. Without having enough time to stop, Quinn barreled right into the young man, essentially tackling him to the ground. 

Well, as if this day couldn’t get ANY better. 

For a moment, though, Quinn was caught breathless by the stranger’s eyes. They were a striking green, wide, bright and sparkling. His hair was cut mostly short except for this cute floof in the front and was a shiny, choclate brown. He has tan skin, something not too common in the area due to the constant clouds and general lack of sunlight. 

“Um… Can I help you?” 

He snapped out of his trance as the stranger spoke, his voice smooth and low. It was baratone and absolutely beautiful. 

He also realized he was still on top of the guy. 

He pulled himself up and sheepishly extended his hand to the stranger. He knocked him down, might as well help him back up. The man accepted the gesture and chuckled as he was pulled to his feet. 

“So… What’s your name, dear stranger?” The man asked, causing Quinn to blush. 

"Q-Quinn… My name’s Quinn. And your’s?” 

The man opened his mouth to speak, but was suddenly cut off by a buzzing noise. 

"Oh SHIT! I forgot, I’m gonna be late!” Quinn took off running for the second time today, almost dropping his phone, and called behind his shoulder at the unnamed stranger. “It was nice to meet you!” 

The man stood there for some time after Quinn had disappeared down the road, shaking his head in disblief and amusement. He proceeded to the ATM he was going to before and began to withdraw what he needed. He couldn’t help but smile though at the thought of the man he had just encountered. 

“Quinn, huh?” 

He looked down the direction the young man had run off in and felt a blush creeping up on his cheeks. 

“That’s a nice name."


	2. The Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From the Stranger's perspective. 
> 
> Somebody is crushing HARD. 
> 
> I love these two so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, someone had asked me about this story and when I told them about Quinn and this other mysterious boy, they immediately went "oh, it's so nice when two friends can help each other through stuff like that."
> 
> Like, no honey. 
> 
> Those boys? 
> 
> They gay. 
> 
> Sorry, not-sorry.

The tan skinned man had received the money from the ATM, continuing along with his plan. He had created a list of things he would need to do in order for this to work. Finally, he could check this one off the list.

He knew this was his last chance. 

The young man had found himself in an abusive relationship. His girlfriend was terrible, sometimes abusing him mentally, sometimes physically, though it rarely went too far into anything life threatening. The problem was she had too much control over his life and she knew it. Not to mention, not many people he told had believed him. He felt powerless, hopeless to escape. 

Thankfully, he had recently started gaining the control back. He set up a separate bank account, started saving up money, gained help from his friends. He was going to cut her out. Permantly. 

But, he was still too scared to say it directly. 

He didn't want to be anywhere NEAR her when she would hear the "You are no longer a part of my life" speech he had planned. If she wasn't life threatening before, he didn't want to see what would happen when she had nothing left to lose.

However, his step sister Niki had an "alternative option" for letting her down.

She had heard of a local flower shop in the area called Azula Rose that did custom bouquets for cheap. You can even include an anonymous message, (or in this case, letter), to the recipient of the flowers. 

Niki also told him how to ask for it. 

He had to admit, he was quite nervous. It just seemed too... Bold. He wasn't really good at that. But, she had suggested that it might help him become braver, face his fears.

After all, if he can't do THIS, how the hell was he supposed to stand up to his girlfriend?

As he walked, his mind couldn't help wandering back to the events from earlier that day. He could feel his blush returning and, try as he might, he couldn't will it away. He groaned in exasperation. 

"I just met him! How in the world am I crushing so easily???" 

And yet, he was stuck on this stranger named Quinn. 

He had only known the young man for a brief moment, but his head was already spinning. His hair was a sandy blonde and somewhat on the shaggy side. His skin was pale and smooth, a cute rosy blush on his cheeks. The pink blush couldn't hide a dash of adorable freckles across his nose, though. And those eyes... Dear GOD, those ocean blue eyes. They held him in place, completely awestruck. Bright, shining and so deep, they seemed to go on forever. It was as if the ocean itself decided to create the most beautiful being in the universe and this young man named Quinn was what came of it.

He smiled just thinking about it.

And almost walked his smiling ass right into a sign post. 

He shook his head slightly. 

"I gotta snap out of it, it's not like I'm actually gonna see him again." It hurt, but he felt the need to say it.

After all, running into the same, cute stranger for a second time?

What were the odds of that?


	3. The Fuck You Bouquet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn the stranger's name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! THIS CHAPTER HAS A FLASHBACK TO A CHILDHOOD ABUSE SCENE! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Quinn took a deep breath. 

_"Why was that guy so... Attractive?"_

He had tried and ultimately failed to get the nameless stranger out of his head. His bright green eyes, his chocolate-colored, floofy hair, his baratone voice... He didn't even know this guy's name, but damn, he wished he did.

"Hey Quinn! You still with me, mariposa?" 

The young man snapped out of his daydream, looking past the counter to see his boss, Lola. She was tapping her foot in a slightly annoyed manner. 

"Sorry, ma'am. I guess I'm just tired." He glanced away, hoping his blush wouldn't show. 

Unfortunately for him, Lola was a sharp woman. 

"Mi mariposa, there are two things in this world you cannot hide. Sneezing and love. You don't have to be ashamed of it." 

Quinn smiled. He could remember the first time he came in here and the first time he met Lola. She had immediately dubbed him "mariposa" which he found out was Spanish for "Butterfly." The short Hispanic woman often had amazing advice and cared a lot about him. She treated him like her son, making sure the young man always knew he was cared for. She was more like a mother to him than a boss.

He often wished she was his real mother. 

His mind instinctively flickered back to that living room, his father standing over him. His voice was deafening, a belt clutched in his hand. His face was red with rage and fury. Those words... Every single thing he said sent a shock through his entire system, flinching at each syllable.

_"Worthless boy!"_

_"Damn faggot!"_

_"Stupid bitch!"_

He raised the belt and brought it down hard, marking his body with a strip shaped bruse again. 

And again. 

And again. 

And again. 

"Quinn? Quinn? Can you hear me?"

The young man slowly started to come back to reality. He was sitting on the floor, with his knees pulled up to his chest. His breathing was quick and it almost seemed as though he was hyperventilating. He had started sweating and rocking back and forth. 

"Quinn? You back, mi chico?"

Hearing Lola's voice calmed him. His breathing started to slow and he relaxed his shoulders and legs. Eventually, he looked her in the eyes, worry etched into her features. 

"I... I'm okay, Lola... Just... Bad memory..." Quinn's voice broke about halfway through, but Lola understood. She nodded and extended her hand slowly to help him to his feet. He gratefully accepted the gesture, allowing himself to be guided back up. 

"If you need a break, I can take over the cashier position for now while you go to the greenhouse." Lola suggested, but Quinn shook his head. 

"Nah, I'll be alright. It will pass." 

Lola smiled gently. He could tell she didn't quite believe him, but she decided not to push it. She patted his back and went back to her computer to finish some emails. 

Quinn decided to glance around the shop a bit. They had quite a large assortment of flowers here, most were already in their bouquets and arrangements. There were the roses in their various colors, mostly shades of red, the peonies with their frilly petals and bright colors, the lilies, bright and striking.

He sighed in content as the panic slowly washed away. Flowers always made him happy and calm.

The sound of a bell indicating the front door had opened called his attention back to the main entrance. 

_"Oh. Shit."_

That stranger from before was there, marching up to the counter with a few bills in his hand. His face was serious, his lips pulled into a tight line. He slammed a 20 dollar bill on the counter and took in a deep breath.

"How do I passive-agressively say 'Fuck you' in flower?" 

Quinn was in shock. 

The stranger looked up at him and his green eyes went wide. His mouth hung open in embarrassment and he looked as though he was about to apologize. 

The young cashier knew he had heard quite the strange requests coming from practically anybody. He once had a person come in to the shop dressed in drag asking for a bouquet of vegetables. Quinn got it to them the next day.

Time to put his flower knowledge to the test. 

"Okay, so you'll need a bouquet of geraniums, those represent stupidity," he grabbed a small bunch of geraniums as he spoke before moving on to the next section, "foxglove, meadowsweet, and yellow carnations are a must, for insincerity, uselessness, and a good dose of 'you have disappointed me.' Oh, and who can forget orange lilies? Those will complete your bouquet perfectly." 

Quinn began to arrange the flowers he grabbed in a white sleeve, placing them in a symmetrical pattern, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and the other man stood behind him with a pink blush on his face. 

"Um... What do the orange lilies mean?" 

Quinn smiled sweetly and responded. 

"Hatred. All together, it is quite striking! And full of loathing." 

The stranger nodded in understanding and Quinn continued to arrange the flowers in a desirable fashion. Once he felt the bouquet was as good as it was gonna get, he turned back to the stranger who was watching him intently. The young man blushed at the attention and apologized. 

"S-sorry... I'm not much for conversation..." 

The stranger smiled sweetly. 

"You looked so happy and calm when you were placing the flowers, so to be honest, I was content to just watch." 

Quinn was stunned. No one except Lola had ever shown that kind of appreciation towards his love of flowers. Most thought it was strange.

"Th-thank you..." He turned and blushed furiously. 

"Don't worry about it, you looked really peaceful like that. It wasn't like I gonna interrupt you or something." 

Quinn smiled and then gasped as a realization hit him. 

"I just realized I never caught your name earlier!"

The tan skinned man blushed and shifted on his heels. 

"Uh, Max. My name is Max."

Quinn grinned widely and stuck out his hand. 

"Nice to finally make your acquaintance, Max!" 

Max took his hand and shook it firmly. 

"You too, Quinn."


End file.
